Vehicle brake pads are required to provide a particular coefficient of friction for proper operation in order to slow or stop a moving vehicle. Brake pads are comprised of a sacrificial friction lining to act as tribological surface that provides the appropriate coefficient of friction. Thus, by design, brake pads comprise expendable elements that will require replacement over time. It is therefore desirable to improve the expected lifespan of a brake pad by improving the wear resistance of the tribological surfaces thereof.
Friction lining is often an engineered tribological composite made up of several constituents such as binders, fillers, friction modifiers, solid lubricants, etc. that are mixed together. Some designs may be improved using a reinforcement structure disposed within the friction lining, which can improve noise reduction and wear resistance compared to a friction lining which does not have a reinforcement structure. To optimize the brake pad's utility, the coefficient of friction should be substantially consistent across the entire tribological surface of the friction lining. Thus, it is desirable to design a reinforcement structure within the friction lining that has a coefficient of friction and compressibility factor that is substantially equal to that of the tribological composite forming the remaining portions of the brake pad in order to improve wear resistance and noise reduction during operation.